ALMOST a year to the day after his death, a murder victim's grief- stricken family are distraught at the "cruel" timing of an MP's crusade to free the young jockey convicted of his brutal killing.

Labour's John McDonnell, who has links with the cleared Guildford Four and Birmingham Six, says he sees a similar miscarriage of justice in the conviction of another Irishman, Christy McGrath.

The 24-year-old jockey pleaded guilty to murdering former Newcastle United hopeful Gary Walton in Coundon, County Durham, on July 17, 2000.

McGrath, who was based at millionaire Grand National winner Norman Mason's Brancepeth stables, in County Durham, was jailed for life after changing his plea on the eve of his trial at Teesside Crown Court in January.

The court heard he had turned into a "monster" while high on Ecstasy and alcohol, smashing Mr Walton's face with a brick and then choking him in the garden of the Miners' Arms pub.

But McGrath claims he pleaded guilty only after being advised that it would reduce his sentence.

Mr McDonnell, MP for the Middlesex constituency of Hayes and Harlington, met McGrath's parents, Christy and Ann, along with brother Larry, at the House of Commons last Thursday.

At the same meeting were Paddy Hill and Billy Power, both freed in 1991 when the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of the Birmingham Six for killing 19 people in pub blasts.

Mr McDonnell has examined defence papers prepared for McGrath's trial. The latest campaign has been backed by London lawyer Gareth Pierce, who acted for both groups of cleared men, and who recently visited the jockey in Holme House Prison, on Teesside.

Today, he hopes MPs from all over the country will sign an Early Day Motion, placed on the House of Commons agenda, but not scheduled for debate.

He aims to drum up support for McGrath by writing to every MP, holding fringe meetings at the Labour Party Conference, and targeting every British racecourse with leaflets putting the case for McGrath to get an early hearing at the Court of Appeal.

Aghast at insensitivity at the timing, Gary Walton's parents, Jennie and Dickie, with his sister, Sharon Caton, spoke out last night for the first time since the killing.

Mrs Caton said: "McGrath is an evil monster. He has shown no remorse for what he did and this is twisting the knife.

Mrs Walton said: "The McGrath family still have their son. We have lost Gary and we have to look into his children's eyes and know that they will never have a dad.

"We couldn't even see him to say goodbye. All we have is his grave."

Mrs Caton added: "McGrath's family sat in court and listened to how badly he was beaten. They heard their son's voice on tape admitting what he had done.

"We have had total confidence in the police from day one.

"To do this on the anniversary of his death is almost too cruel for us to bear. They have stripped us of our dignity and won't leave us to grieve in peace."

Mr Walton's ex-Newcastle colleague, Chris Waddle, assembled two teams of North-East greats, including Bryan Robson, Peter Reid and close friend Alan Shoulder for a charity match to help his family.

Mrs Caton said: "They are leafleting racecourses. Gary was so popular, we will get support from every football club in the land. Everybody loved him."

Mr McDonnell said: "It doesn't help the victim's family to imprison the wrong person. Someone else killed Mr Walton and I believe that Christy will go free.

"We aim to take the case to the Court of Appeal to demonstrate to the world that Christy is innocent and that this has been a clear miscarriage of justice."

"He was arrested on a trumped up charge and there was no proper police investigation."